1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to devices for absorbing liquid contaminants such as oil and gasoline and the fumes or vapors thereof, and particularly to such a device that may be deposited in the engine compartment of a boat, or in the hold of a ship in which water and/or liquid contaminants are spilled, and which will absorb the liquid oil and/or gasoline and the fumes or vapors thereof even if the device is floating in the body of water contained in the engine compartment or hold of the ship, or merely present in the same compartment with vapors, and which will automatically seal itself when it has absorbed its maximum capacity of the contaminant.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
A preliminary patentability search for prior art patents has been conducted in connection with this invention in Class 210, sub-classes 242.1, 242.4, 690, 691, 692, 693, 622 and 924; and Class 405, sub-classes 60, 63 and 64. As a result of the search in this area of search, nine United States patents were found to exist that relate to the subject matter to which the subject invention pertains. Those patents are as follows:
______________________________________ 3,617,566 3,627,677 3,703,464 3,904,528 3,912,635 3,920,554 4,172,039 4,197,204 4,497,712 ______________________________________
It will be readily apparent from the many patents noted above that the problem of absorbing liquid oil and gasoline has been troublesome for many years. Many inventors have attempted to find a solution to the problem, but because the basic problem is fragmented into many smaller problems, there appears to be no single solution that is applicable to all problems related to spilled oil, gasoline, solvents or acids. Contaminants can and do take many forms. Thus, on the high seas, oil tankers can rupture and spill crude oil into the open sea. Here, one of the problems is to stem the leak, while attempting to prevent the spread of the oil slick beyond manageable limits. The subject matter of the present invention does not lend itself to solving the problems inherent in such an oil spill on open water on the high seas.
In relatively confined areas, such as the hold of a ship, in the bilge area of pleasure boats, or on water-borne barges, hydrocarbons such as oil and/or gasoline are frequently spilled and mix with water shipped on board over the sides of the vehicle during rough weather, or from other sources. Such spilled hydrocarbons, particularly gasoline and solvents, are highly flammable and volatile, releasing vapors into the confined area, which are also highly flammable and explosive when ignited.
It is clear from the patent literature noted above that the concept of using some type of an absorbent material for absorbing hydrocarbon compounds but rejecting water is old in the art. In some of these patents, the absorbent material itself is of a type that rejects absorption of water while absorbing the hydrocarbon compounds. In other of the patents, the absorbent material is contained within a skin-like container that permits the passage of a contaminant, such as a hydrocarbon compound, but does not permit the passage of water, so that the absorbent material is not exposed to the water, only to the hydrocarbon compound. In none of these patents, however, is there provision for a device which automatically seals to prevent the escape of contaminants or their vapors when fully saturated.
It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a container for absorbent material that will absorb hydrocarbon type compounds such as oil and gasoline, and which will preclude the passage of water into the interior of the container during the absorption process.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a container constructed in such a manner that the entire container containing absorbent material may be deposited in an engine compartment, or the hold of a ship that contains water, or in a bilge area, the container being designed to float on the contaminated water and absorb oil or gasoline from the water while not absorbing water.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a container filled with an absorbent material and having openings designed to permit the passage of oil or gasoline spilled on water, but which will prevent the passage of water into the interior of the container and which, upon progressive absorption of the hydrocarbon compounds, progressively sinks lower in the water and ultimately seals itself by virtue of the depth to which it sinks, so as to prevent the escape of liquid hydrocarbons and fumes from the contained and absorbed hydrocarbon compounds such as oil and gasoline.
It is known that oil and gasoline frequently spill into the bilge areas of commercial and recreational vessels. Such contaminants are not limited to oil and gasoline, but may include solvents of various kinds and acids, such as battery acid. These contaminants, whether they be hydrocarbon fuels or solvents or acids, frequently float on the water that may be found in bilge areas or in motor compartments of motor boats, for instance. Such spilled contaminants release dangerous fumes and vapors into the confined area within which the contaminant is trapped. In many cases, these fumes present a greater hazard of fire and explosion than the free-floating liquid contaminants. Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to provide a device which may be deposited in the bilge or motor compartment of a commercial or recreational vessel and which will absorb dangerous and explosive fumes or vapors from the confined area, even if not directly in contact with the liquid source of such fumes or vapors, and which prevents the release of the vapors once they are absorbed.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device which after absorption of contaminants, seals the contaminants within a container so that the fumes or vapors of the contaminant will no longer be released to the atmosphere.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however, that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.